Board game apparatus

ABSTRACT

A GAME BOARD APPARATUS HAVING A PLURALITY OF VISIBLE PLAYING REGIONS, EACH INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF PLAYING PANEL PORTIONS HAVING A CARD DISPLAY REGION WHERE A PARTICULAR GROUP OF CARDS CORRESPONDING TO THAT PLAYER&#39;&#39;S INDIVIDUAL HAND IS DISPLAYED, HAVING A LURALITY OF CARD INFORMATION MATCHING DISPLAY SECTIONS AND CORRESPONDING TO INFORMATION IN VARIOUS COMBINATIONS WHICH MAY BE DISPLAYED BY THE GROUP OF CARDS (USUALLY THREE) OF A PARTICULAR PLAYER&#39;&#39;S INDIVIDUAL HAND WHEN DISPLAYED IN THE PLAYING CARD DISPLAY REGION, AND WITH SAID GAME BOARD ALSO BEING PROVIDED WITH AN INDIVIDUAL ALTERNATE (OR ADDITIONAL) TYPE-OF-PLAY SELECTION PANEL VISIBLY MARKED THEREON SO THAT AN INDIVIDUAL PLAYER MAY PLACE ONE OR MORE PLAYING PIECES EITHER THEREON OR ON ANY OF THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED PLAYING PANEL PORTIONS TO INDICATE THE TYPE OF PLAY SELECTED BY THE PLAYER FOR THE IMMEDIATELY SUBSEQUENT HAND OF PLAYING CARDS DISPLAYED IN THE PLAYING CARD DISPLAY REGION. THE PLAYING PANEL PORTIONS AND THE COMBINATION INFORMATION MATCHING DISPLAY SECTIONS EACH BEARS AND VISIBLY DISPLAYS CORRELATED REWARD VALUE RATIO MARKINGS TO INDICATE A CORRESPONDING RETURN OF PLAYING PIECES TO THE PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL PLAYER CORRESPONDING TO THE GAME POINT VALUE OF THE PLAYING PIECES PLACED BY SAID PLAYER ON THE TYPE-OF-PLAY SELECTION PANEL OF THE PLAYING PANEL PORTIONS (OR BOTH).

June 6, 1972 E. P. HOLMBERG 3,667,757

BOARD GAME APPARATUS Filed March 5, 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I (BELL)? LJ (SEAL) w (C HERRYn 1, P 01 o s} {P o {we} {p zl [my 'L J L J 'L J 32 lst. Cord 22 Z'- VI 10nd O /45 59 Z-l 2"l N a 1 L? 16 MAJ, 1 O

i? D L50 l 25-: D a I 707 34, 4b m/vfA/me ALTERNATE TYPE-OF- PLAY [0651/5 p Hal/"5526 SELECTION PANEL V 2' 68 a 2 -1J June 6, 1972 E. P. HOLMBERG 3,667,757

BOARD 0mm APPARATUS Filed March :5, 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet :3

IEEEW ML C ABPL.V A':UE LL NQLEEBBEEE STRAWBERRY B CHERRY 2 l5 GRAPE 3 B PEAR 4 6 APPLE 5 4 LlON 6 3 MONKEY 7 4 SEAL B 4 ELEPHANT 9 3 WASHINGTON IO 3 LINCOLN l2 3 (ONLY ONE MARKED) 3 (ONLY LIBERTY BELL l4 ONE MARKED) 3 FLYING EAGLE I5 G COMBINATIONS REWARD vALuE RATlO HERRY 2-1 HERRY-CHERRY 5-| HERRY-CHERRY-CHERRY |o-| STRAWBERRY-STRAWBERRY- STRAWB ERRY 14 -1 GRAPES-GRAPES-GRAPES |4-| MONKEY-MONKEY-MONKEY l8-l sEAL-sEAL-sEAL l8-l WASHINGTON-WASHINGTON-LINCOLN WASHINGTON-WASHINGTON- WASHINGTON 48-l LINCOLN-LINCOLN- WASHINGTON 40-1 LINCOLN-LINCOLN L|NCOLN 48-! INDIAN-INDIAN |4-| INDIAN-INDIAN-INDIAN 25-1 BELL-BELL |4-| BELL-BELL -BELL 25-1 EAsLE-ANY PA|RANY ORDER BELL- INDIAN-BELL OR ANY MIXED COMB. zo-l BELL I INDIAN 8-! IA/I/EA/ 702 EUGENE P How/1552a United States Patent @lfice 3,667,757 BOARD GAME APPARATUS Eugene P. Holmberg, 7755 Shoup Ave., Canoga Park, Calif. 91304 Filed Mar. 3, 1970, Ser. No. 16,061 Int. Cl. A63f 3/00 U.S. Cl. 273-135 G 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A game board apparatus having a plurality of visible playing regions, each including a plurality of playing panel portions having a card display region where a particular group of cards corresponding to that players individual hand is displayed, having a plurality of card information matching display sections and corresponding to information in various combinations which may be displayed by the group of cards (usually three) of a particular players individual hand when displayed in the playing card display region, and with said game board also being provided with an individual alternate (or additional) type-of-play selection panel visibly marked thereon so that an individual player may place one or more playing pieces either thereon or on any of the previously mentioned playing panel portions to indicate the type of play selected by the player for the immediately subsequent hand of playing cards displayed in the playing card display region. The playing panel portions and the combination information matching display sections each bears and visibly displays correlated reward value ratio markings to indicate a corresponding return of playing pieces to the particular individual player corresponding to the game point value of the playing pieces placed by said player on the type-of-play selection panel or the playing panel portions (or both).

Generally speaking, the present invention comprises game apparatus for two or more players, at least one of whom comprises a combination dealer and bank, with the game being of a type having a plurality of individual playing regions for the individual players on a playing board or surface, with each playing region being similar and having a plurality of conveniently arranged, different playing panel portions visibly marked thereon and each being provided with different information-carrying alphanumeric symbols corresponding to a particular card point value, or range thereof, or characteristic thereof, and corresponding to a different correlated reward value ratio. Each individual playing region is also provided with an interchangeable playing card display region adapted to receive and display a plurality of interchangeable playing cards (in a preferred form, three such playing cards) of a larger deck of such playing cards, and with the three playing cards being provided with and visibly displaying markings corresponding to an individual card point value and, in a preferred form, a corresponding pictorial representation. The game includes, and in certain preferred forms the playing surface may be provided with, a plurality of different combination card pictorial information matching display sections, with each display section also bearing and visibly displaying a corresponding reward value ratio marking indicating a particular reward value ratio to be won by a player when the corresponding matching pictorial information is displayed by the plurality of playing cards (usually three) subsequently positioned and displayed in the playing card display region of that particu- 3,667,757 Patented June 6, 1972 lar player. The game also includes a plurality of playing pieces having particular agreed upon game point values and positionable by each individual player on one or more of that particular players panel portions in a win-determining or loss-determining manner, as indicated by the correlation or non-correlation of the information-carrying alphanumeric symbols visibly carried by said playing piece bearing playing panel portions with the total information displayed by the subsequently positioned and displayed plurality of (usually three) playing cards in said playing card display region. Each individual playing region is also visibly provided with an individual alternate (which shall also mean additional) type-of-play selection panel visibly marked thereon and adapted to receive one or more of the corresponding particular players playing pieces thereon for game-playing correlation with particular one of the reward value ratio markings correlated with a corresponding one of said plurality of different combination card pictorial information matching display sections corresponding to the combination pictorial information displayed by the plurality of (usually three) subsequently positioned and displayed playing cards in the playing card display region. The arrangement just described provides means for allowing the player to make a choice with respect to the type of play which he will subsequently engage inthat is, Whether it is based upon card combinations or upon card point value totals-and also to make a selection as to the amount of points which he will receive if he wins or loses the game portion represented by the displaying of a particular set or plurality (usually three) of the larger deck of playing cards in that particular players playing card display region.

With the above points in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved game apparatus for playing a game adapted to be played on a game board surface by a number of persons, usually ranging from two to seven, including the person functioning as the dealer and bank, and which allows each individual player playing the game several different alternative types of game play and risk-bearing strategy which will have a major effect on the possibility of his winning the game, which normally results when he has accumulated a certain total number of points.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a game of the type defined herein having any or all of the advantages referred to herein and including any or all of the features referred to herein, generically and/ or specifically and individually or in combination, and which is of relatively easily manufactured, simple, inexpensive construction, both as to initial capital costs (including preproduction costs) and as to the cost of production per item or unit such as to facilitate the manufacture, sale, and use of the game apparatus of the present invention for the purposes outlined herein or for any other substantially equivalent purposes.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide game apparatus as defined herein which may be firmly attached to the top of a game table at a plurality of spaced locations, each defining an individual player position or location and each adapted to have associated therewith a corresponding different individual player seat.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide game apparatus of the type defined herein wherein the effective playing surface bearing all of the visibly perceptible markings defined hereinbefore is provided on a be merely placed upon any suitable underlying support or table when the game is to be played.

Further objects are implicit in the detailed description which follows hereinafter (which is to be considered as exemplary of, but not specifically limiting, the present invention), and said objects will be apparent to persons skilled in the art after a careful study of the detailed description which follows hereinafter, and all such implicit objects are intended to be included and comprehended herein as fully as if particularly defined and pointed out herein.

For the purpose of clarifying the nature of the present invention, several exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the hereinbelow-described figures of the accompanying two sheets of drawings and are described in detail hereinafter.

FIG. 1 is a greatly reduced-size, top plan view illustrating one exemplary form of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a somewhat larger, fragmentary view illustrating one of the six exemplary different individual playing regions shown in FIG. 1, and, in this case, showing it in much greater detailit being understood that it is exemplary of and representative of the other five playing regions shown in FIG. 1. This view also shows a cor responding individual alternate (which also means additional) typeof-play selection panel and a corresponding combination card pictorial information matching display section assembly or array (although this latter display section assembly or array is not shown in detail in this view for drawing space saving reasons).

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, perspective view illustrating an exemplary deck of playing cards of the present invention with the upper three cards being spread out in a manner such that the face or display portions thereof can be seen, partially or whollyit being understood that they serve as illustrations of, and are representative of, the plurality of different types of display portions carried by the various dilferent cards of the complete deck of playing cards, and bearing information such as is summarized in FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 illustrates one representative group of cards of the type shown physically in FIG. 3 and shows the number of cards in each different type of set of similar cards 'bearing similar pictorial information. However, it should be understood that this is merely representative of one of several forms which the invention may take.

FIG. 5 illustrates, in alphanumeric symbol form, one representative showing of the plurality of different combination card pictorial information matching display sections visibly bearing and displaying a plurality of different individual sets (ranging from zero to three) of the pictorial markings such as listed in FIG. 4 with respect to one representative deck of cards and such as shown with respect to three exemplary ones of same in FIG. 3. This view also illustrates the fact that each display section also bears and visibly displays a corresponding reward value ratio marking indicating the reward value ratio corresponding to each different combination of matched pictorial information.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view illustrating just the top combination card pictorial information-matching display section bearing pictorial information corresponding to three displayed played cards and also bearing a corresponding reward value ratio marking. It should be understood that this view is representative of all of the remaining rows of the nineteen rows of such sections shown in FIG. 5 wherein the pictorial information markings are shown in alphanumeric symbol form purely for drawing space-saving reasons.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view illustrating a few exemplary playing pieces representative of any of a number of different types thereof which may be employed in play ing the game of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view of a portion of FIG. 1 illustrating a different arrangement of one of the plurality 4 of pictorial information-matching and corresponding reward value ratio display sections of the first form of the invention, one of which is shown in alphanumeric symbolic form in FIG. 5the arrangement being such that only one such assembly is conveniently located, primarily for use by the dealer, although viewable by the players, rather than having a plurality of such display panel assemblies positioned adjacent to each playing region for each individual player to individually and directly read.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view similar to a portion of FIG. 1 but illustrates a slight modification thereof wherein the entire playing surface is of thin-shot construction adapted to be placed upon any desired underlying supporting surface.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary view illustrating a further slight modification of the game playing surface wherein it comprises a rigid removable and foldable panel.

Generally speaking, the game apparatus of the present invention comprises a playing surface such as is generally designated by the reference numeral 20 and which may comprise the top surface of a playing board at the top of a table, or any other underlying supporting structure, or which may be of a portable type, two different exemplary forms of which are illustrated fragmentarily in FIGS. 9 and 10. The playing surface 20 is elfectively provided with and defines a plurality of individual playing regions, each adapted for use by a corresponding one of a plurality of individual players. Six such individual playing regions are shown in FIG. 1 and each is generally designated by the reference numeral 22. However, it should be clearly understood that the invention is not limited to an arrangement including six such playing regions only, but may include a lesser or greater number thereof, as desired. In the example illustrated, each playing region 22 is positioned at a different displaced location on the playing board surface 20 adjacent to a corre sponding one of a corresponding plurality of individual players seat locations, or positions, such as indicated generally at 24 in each of the six different instances thereof shown in FIG. 1, although not specifically so limited.

Each of the individual playing regions 22 is similar and each has a plurality of conveniently arranged, adjacent, different, individual playing panel portions visibly marked or depicted on the playing surface 20. In the exemplary showing of one representative playing region 22 in FIG. 2 wherein representative playing panel portions of the type carried by all of said playing regions 22 are shown in detail, it will be noted that fourteen such playing panel portions are shown. and each is of rectangular configuration and they are arranged to form a rectangular array of said playing panel portions.

The fourteen exemplary playing panel portions are indicated, respectively, by the reference numerals 26, 2A8, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, and 52. Each of the playing panel portions of the complete arrangement thereof comprising each playing region 22 is provided with information-carrying alphanumeric symbols of at least two different types-21 first type corresponding to a particular characteristic of a card point value of one or more playing cards, such as any of the cards designated by the reference numeral 54 and shown in solid lines in FIG. 3 and shown in phantom lines in FIG. 2. A second type of said information-carrying alphanumeric symbol carries information corresponding to different correlated reward value ratios in a predetermined relationship with respect to corresponding individual ones of said playing panel portions. Each of said types of information-carrying alphanumeric symbols corresponding to a particular characteristic of a card point value or of the total card point value of one or more of the playing cards 54 and the corresponding different reward value ratio correlated with that particular playing panel portion is information of the type listed hereinbelow with respect to the fourteen different playing panel portions.

Number of each different one of the fourteen different playing Alphanumeric Alphanumeric 1 Corresponding to a particular characteristic of a card point value (information of the first type mentioned above).

2 Corresponding to a reward value ratio of a corresponding particular playing panel portion (information of the second type mentioned above),

Each of the playing regions 22 is also provided with a corresponding individual alternate type-of-play selection panel visibly marked thereon, as indicated by the reference numerals 56 in each of the six instances illustrated in FIG. 1 and in the single exemplary instance illustrated in FIG. 2.. The purpose and mode of use of each of the alternate type-of-play selection panels 56 will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

Also, the playing surface 20 adjacent to each of the playing regions 22 is effectively provided with and defines a plurality of interchangeable playing card display regions, generally designated by the reference numeral 58 and including the three specific playing card display regions indicated at 58A, 58B, and 58C in the exemplary form of the invention illustrated, and together comprising said composite playing card region 58 associated with each of the six individual playing regions 22. It will be noted that the playing card display region 58A is adapted to receive, face up, a first one of the cards 54 dealt to that particular player by the dealer, while the second playing card display region 588 is adapted to receive, face up, a second one of the cards 54 dealt to that particular player by the dealer, and the third playing card display region 580 is adapted to receive, face up, a third one of the cards 54 dealt to that particular player by the dealer. This is true for the set of three playing card display regions 58A, 58B, and 58C associated with each of the six different playing regions 22 for use by each different one of six different players (or any lesser number of players).

The playing surface 20 is also provided with a plurality of different combination card pictorial information-matching display sections in the form of an assembly or array thereof, such as an exemplary, but non-specifically-limiting, one thereof which is illustrated in FIG. 5 and is generally designated by the reference numeral 59. The same plurality of display sections is shown in undetailed, block diagrammatic form in FIG. 2 and at each of six locations adjacent to the six playing regions 22 in FIG. 1, although not specifically so limited in all forms of the invention (for example, see FIG. 8).

It will be noted that in the exemplary form of the invention illustrated, the deck of cards generally designated by the reference numeral 60 comprises seventy-two cards, such as the individual cards designated by the reference numeral 54, in an exemplary distribution such as is itemized in FIG. 4, wherein the left column, headed by the word TYPE, lists the kind of pictorial representation or marking which is shown by the face of the card, such as the Grape pictorial marking shown at 62 on the left representative card shown in FIG. 3, such as the Seal pictorial marking also shown at 62 on the middle representative card shown in FIG. 3, and such as the Liberty Bell pictorial marking also shown at 62 on the right representative card shown in FIG. 3, for example. A total of fourteen different pictorial markings listed in the left column of FIG. 4 are similarly borne by the playing faces of the seventy-two cards and each card also bears a display marking of an alphanumeric type such as shown at 64 in each case and which comprises the card point value, as listed in the middle column of FIG. 4, for each different type of card. The right column of FIG. 4 illustrates the number of cards bearing the two types of visible markings shown immediately to the left thereof in the left and middle columns of FIG. 4.

It should be noted that in the twelfth and thirteenth types of pictorial markings listed in the left column of FIG. 4, comprising an Indian pictorial marking and a Liberty Bell pictorial marking such as shown on the right card illustrated in FIG. 3, the right-hand column of FIG. 4 indicates that there are three cards of each of said two different types in the total deck 60 of seventytWo cards, but the middle column of FIG. 4 indicates that only one of the three Indian cards and only one of the three Liberty Bell cards bear the corresponding card point value markings 13 in the first case and 14 in the second case, with the remaining two Indian cards and the remaining two Liberty Bell" cards bearing no such card point value marking. However, this particular arrangement and, indeed, the entire exemplary distribution of card pictorial marking types, card point values, the detailed forms thereof, the percentage distribution thereof in the total deck 60, and the total number of cards in the deck 60, in the form described and illustrated, are to be construed as exemplary only and are not intended to specifically limit the invention thereto.

Each individual one of the six sets of informationmatching display sections, generally designated by the reference numeral 59, is of the type shown in a somewhat diagrammatic and representative manner in FIG. 5 and visibly bears and displays nineteen different combination three-card pictorial information-matching display sections, such as the representative single display section best shown in FIG. 6 and designated by the reference numeral 66, which bears two different types of information, a first type of which comprises a three-card combination pictorial information-matching display marking, such as generally indicated by the reference numeral 68 in both FIGS. 5 and 6 and having three pictorial information display locations arranged in three columns to correspond to the three different playing cards 54 displayed by the three different playing-card display regions 58A, 58B, and 58C (although not necessarily in the same left-to-right sequential arrangement in all forms of the invention). For example, in the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 6, it will be noted that the left pictorial marking position displays at Cherry" marking 62 which corresponds to a Cherry marking 62 carried by a correspondingly positioned one of the three cards 54 in the corresponding card display region as shown in FIG. 2. Thus, if the other two cards 54 in the card display region of FIG. 2 do not find a counterpart in any of the other different combination card pictorial information-matching display sections 66 shown in nineteen vertically adjacent, laterally directed rows in FIG. 5 in symbolic form, that particular player would know that the reward value ratio designated at 68 and reading 2-1 is applicable to that particular hand. Of course, if any other one of the pictorial combination markings symbolically shown in alphanumeric symbols in FIG. 5 appears on the cards 54 in the card display region of FIG. 2, then that particular pictorial combination 66 is applicable to that hand and the corresponding one of the plurality of reward value ratios 68 shown in the same row of FIG. 5 is also applicable and determines the number of points which that particular player will receive for that particular hand by using the particular reward value ratio 68 corresponding to that hand as a multiplying or ratioing factor to be multiplied by the total number of game points which the player has initially elected to risk on that particular hand of cards 54 before they are dealt into the playing region 58. This election by the player of the number of points by which the reward value ratio 68 of FIG. is to be multiplied is provided by placing a playing piece, such as any of those indicated in phantom at 70 in FIG. 2 and a few of which are shown in solid lines in FIG. 7, on the previously mentioned alternate type-of-play selection panel 56. In other words, the placing of one or more of the displaying pieces 70 having a predetermined game point value on or adjacent to the alternate typeof-play selecting panel 56 by a player before the three cards 54 are dealt into his three individual card display region portions 58A, 58B, and 58C indicates that the player has elected, for that particular forthcoming hand of three cards 54, to be governed by the display panel 59 indicated diagrammatically and alphanumerically symbolically in FIG. 5. Conversely or conjointly, if the player wishes to be governed by the playing region 22 in determining the number of game points which he will receive upon conclusion of the play involved in one particular hand, he may place playing pieces 70 totalling any desired number of game points on or adjacent to any individual one or any combination of the fourteen different playing portions ranging from 26 through 52 of the playing region 22 and a correspondence between the first type of information visibly displayed thereby and that displayed by any of the playing cards 54 in the playing card display region will cause the corresponding second type of information, comprising reward value ratio markings of the fourteen playing panel portions, to be applicable and to indicate the multiplying ratio or factor applicable to the total number of game points initially elected by the player by applying the playing pieces 70 to the corresponding playing panel portion or plurality of such playing panel portions. Thus, it is possible for a player to elect either mode of play or to employ any combination thereof.

One exemplary mode of play of the game is described hereinbelow.

If a relatively small number of players intend to play the game, a single deck of playing cards having a total of seventy-two cards, as exemplified by the list shown in FIG. 4, comprising the cards in one exemplary deck of the type shown at 60 in FIG. 3, may be used for playing the game. However, if there are a considerable number of prospective players or if it is felt that a single deck will be depleted too rapidly, two decks of the type shown at 60 and comprising the cards listed in FIG. 4 will normally be employed, although the game is not specifically limited by the number of decks or the number of cards or, indeed, the exact types and relative distribution of cards listed in FIG. 4.

In one exemplary form of the invention, the playing surface 20 is intended for use by a maximum of six players and, therefore, has six playing regions 22 and six corresponding alternate type-of-play selection panel means 56, six card display regions such as generally indicated by the reference numeral 58, and six different combination card pictorial information matching display and corresponding reward value ratio marking display section sets, such as indicated by the reference numeral 59. Of course, this latter arrangement is optional and, instead of having six display section sets 59 as illustrated in FIG. 1, the game may be played with one such display section set as illustrated in FIG. 8 at 59a.

The dealer, who normally sits at the seat location 72, may be initially assigned or chosen or selected by the players in any suitable manner, prior to the start of the game. Normally, upon completion of each game another player will be chosen as the dealer and bank, and the original dealer will become merely one of the remainnig players, although the deal may be retained or shifted in any other desired, agreed upon manner. The player assigned or chosen as the dealer will also be the bank and have custody of the deck of cards (which hereinafter shall also be intended to include the meaning of two decks of cards where used), such as indicated at 60 in FIG. 1, and also has custody of a plurality of playing pieces corresponding to and each having a particular value of game points. An assembly of such playing pieces 70 is indicated in FIG. 1 adjacent to the dealers seat location 72. The playing pieces may be of several different types and may be arbitrarily assigned various different game point values by agreement among the players or otherwise. For example, three different colors of playing pieces, such as blue playing pieces, red playing pieces, and White playing pieces, might be employed. The blue playing pieces might be assigned a game point value of 20 points each, the red playing pieces might be assigned a game point value of 5 points each, and the white playing pieces might be assigned a game point value of one point each. However, this arrangement is exemplary only and is not to be construed as specifically limiting the invention. Actually, the playing pieces may all be of one kind and each may have a similar game point value, or they may include a variety of types greater than three different types, and they may be distinguished from each other by differences other than color, such as shape, etc. In any event, if it is agreed by the players that a game will comprise a thousand game point total, thus meaning that the first player who acquires a thousand game points wins the game, the dealer will normally provide each player with a similar number of playing pieces totalling a similar number of game points for each player. For example, each player might be initially provided with 5 blue playing pieces, 15 red playing pieces, and 25 white playing pieces, thus initally providing each player with a total of 200 game points. Of course, it should be understood that, by agreement, the playing pieces may be assigned different game point values than those listed above for exemplary purposes only, and the number of initial game points provided to each player may also be modified as may the total game point value comprising the game.

When the game is to be played, the dealer first asks each player to make an initial election or selection of the type of play which that particular player wishes to pursue for that particular hand of cards (three cards to a hand). In other words, each player is asked to elect Whether he wishes to play through the use of his individual playing region 22 by the selection of one or more of the fourteen playing panel portions thereof, or whether he wishes to elect to play the immediately succeeding hand of cards by electing the alternate type of play governed by the display panel, indicated in alphanumeric symbolic form in FIG. 5 at 59 and fragmentarily in actual form in FIG. 6, in which case the player indicates this election through the use of the alternate type-of-play selection panel 56. Either type of game play election, or a combination of both, is/are accomplished by the player by placing one or more of his particular supply of playing pieces 70 on, or closely adjacent to, any or all of the fourteen different playing panel portions of his particular playing region 22, or on his particular alternate type-of-play selection panel 56, or on any combination thereof-and in a manner display portion 59 to determine whether or not that particplayers complete supply of game points. Once this type of play and game point total election procedure has been completed for each of the players, the dealer deals one card to each player in sequence (usually in a counterclockwise manner by agreement, although not specifically so limited) and places the card face up in the appropriate place on that particular players card display region, indicated at 58, and, in particular, on the first card display portion thereof, such as is best indicated by the reference numeral 58A in FIG. 2. The dealer will then repeat the sequential card dealing operation twice more, in each case placing the card, respectively, on the second and third card display region portions 58B and 58C of each corresponding individual player, with the cards, of course,

being face up. Thus, when the dealer has given each player three cards, face up, the dealer will then examine the display portions 22 and 56 of each player and the display portion 59 to determine whether or not that partiular player has won or lost, depending upon the correspondence of the card point value information 64 (either for individual cards or for the total thereof) with the corresponding card point value information displayed by each of the fourteen playing panel portions of that players playing region 22, and/or by comparing the pictorial information markings 62 carried by the three displayed cards 54 with the matching information carried by the display panel 59in each case correlating the number of game points which the player wins with the corresponding reward value ratios indicated by the corresponding playing panel portions of the playing region 22 and/or the corresponding reward value ratios indicated at 68 or FIGS. and 6. The dealer conducts such a winning and losing and total point value evaluation for each of the players and, upon completion thereof and of the adjustment of the total game point value in each players possession by reason of the possession of the corresponding game-point-valued playing pieces 70, the dealer will pick up each individual players cards and place them face down, away from the playing area, and then repeat the abovekiescribed cycle of game playing operation wilh respect to the next hand of three cards for each player. In one form of the game, the player receiving the last card from the deck has the option to either accept or reject it (although the game is not specifically so limited) At this point, the dealer will pick up all of the previously played cards, reshufile them, and continue on with the game.

If a player loses one or more hands of the game and correspondingly loses game points to an extent such as to completely deplete his supply of game points, he will normally be permitted to be provided, on a loan basis, with additional game points in the form of additional playing pieces totalling game points of a predetermined ratio of the initial total of game points which he was provided with at the beginning of the game. For example, he might be allowed to be temporarily provided with half the game point total of that with which he started the game, although this is entirely dependent upon what rules of play are initially agreed upon.

Normally, under conditions as just outlined, when a player loses to a degree such as to no longer have any game points in his possession (apart from the above provision for a temporary game point advance), that particular player shall be declared to have lost the game and is eliminated therefrom for the time being. If all of the players except one should be eliminated in the manner just indicated, then the remaining player shall be declared the winner regardless of his particular game point total at that time. It will be the dealers responsibility to keep track of all players to whom the above-mentioned temporary type of game point advance has been made and to see that the player subsequently returns the advanced points when that particular player subsequently wins. If the total number of game points, in the form of playing pieces, in the possession of the dealer and bank should be completely depleted prior to any one player accumulating the required number of game points to win the game, then the player with the greatest number of game points at that time will be declared the winner.

In playing the game, it should be noted that two of the three cards listed in FIG. 4 as hearing a pictorial marking of the Indian type do not bear any card point markings such as those shown at 64 in FIG. 3, for example, but the third card thereof does bear a card point marking comprising the number 13. A similar situation prevails with respect to the three cards listed in FIG. 4 as bearing the pictorial Liberty Bell type of marking in that two of them do not bear any card point marking but 10 the third one does bear the card point marking comprising the numeral 14.

It should also be noted that, in the event that a player initially selects any or all of the playing panel portions 26, 28, 48, and 50, and one of the four above-mentioned Indian and Liberty Bell type of pictorially marked cards having no card point values thereon, is placed in the card display region 58 by the dealer, it is understood by agreement that it will be considered to be the full equivalent of a card bearing an odd card point marking, for purposes of the game. This is entirely arbitrary and may be changed by mutual agreement.

FIG. 8, as previously mentioned, merely illustrates a slight modification of the first form of the invention and, therefore, parts which are substantially functionally identical, similar, or equivalent to corresponding parts of the first form of the invention are designated by similar reference numerals, followed by the letter a, however. In this modification, it will be noted that there is only one of the combination matching pictorial information and correlated reward value ratio display panels 59a rather than an individual one for each player as shown at 59 in FIG. 1, and it may be attached or separate. Otherwise, this modification is substantially similar to the first form of the invention, and no further detailed description thereof is thought necessary or desirable.

FIG. 9 fragmentarily illustrates a very slight modification of the first form of the invention and, therefore, parts which are substantially functionally identical, similar, or equivalent to corresponding parts of the first form of the invention are designated by similar reference numerals, followed by the letter b, however. In this modification, it will be noted that the major difference is the fact that the playing surface 20b is not fixed to, nor does it comprise a part of, a playing table or other rigid underlying support, as was the preferred arrangement of the first form of the invention. In this modification, the entire playing surface 20b is shown as being of a removable type adapted to be stored away during non-use periods and to be brought out and placed upon any suitable underlying supporting struoture when the game is to be played. In the form illustrated in FIG. 9, said playing surface 20b is shown as being provided and visibly delineated on the upper surface of a carrier 74 of a flexible, thin-sheet form such as plastic, fabric, or any other suitable, substantially equivalent means. This makes it possible to either fold up or roll up the entire carrier 74 for easy storage and portability until it is to be used, when it is merely unfolded or unrolled and positioned on top of an underlying supporting structure.

FIG. 10 fragmentarily illustrates a further modification similar in many respects to FIG. 9, but shows a different type of removable carrier, which in this case is generally designated by the reference numeral 740. Indeed, all parts of this modification corresponding to previously described forms of the invention are designated by similar reference numerals, followed by the letter 0, however. In this particular instance, the removable carrier 74c is of rigid but removable and foldable form and merely comprises a panel provided with hinge means at the location indicated by the reference numeral 76, thus making it possible to remove the entire panel 740 from an underlying supporting structure and fold the two half portions thereof around the symmetrically centrally positioned hinge location 76 so that the panel 740 will have assumed a sufiiciently small space volume and configuration to be easily stored away until it is to be subsequently used. It should also be noted that if desired additional hinge means positioned at additional hinge locations may be employed to make it possible to fold the panel member 740 into an even smaller maximum surface area to further facilitate the easy storage and/or portability of the folded up panel 74c. All such arrangements, and a variety of other modifications of the various visible display portions of the game and of the mode of play of the game within the broad 1 1 scope of the present invention, are intended to be included and comprehended herein.

It should be noted that the assembly or array of display sections 66 comprising the composite display panel 59 of the first form of the invention may be selected for play by an individual player in addition to the selection by that same player of one or more of the panel portions of that players playing region 22 and, therefore, the use of the word alternate with reference to the so-called alternate type-of-play selection panel 56 of the first form of the invention carries a broad meaning, including both a limited interpretation of the word alternate supplemented by the meaning of the word additional so that a player may actually select either type of play or both types of play.

It should be understood that the figures and the specific description thereof set forth in this patent are for the purpose of illustrating the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention to the precise and detailed specific structure shown in the figures and specifically described hereinbefore. Rather, the real invention is intended to include substantially equivlent constructions embodying the basic teachings and inventive concept of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Game apparatus comprising: a game board having its playing surface provided with and defining a plurality of individual playing regions each adapted for use by a corresponding one of a plurality of individual players and each correspondingly positioned at a difierent displaced location on the playing surface, each of said individual playing regions being similar and having a plurality of conveniently arranged adjacent, different, individual playing panel portions visibly marked thereon and defining an array thereof, each of said playing panel portions of each array thereof being provided with information-carrying symbols corresponding to a particular card point value and corresponding to a different correlated reward value ratio; a deck of playing cards comprising a plurality of different sets of similar cards with each different card bearing and visibly displaying pictorial markings indicating a corresponding individual card point value and corresponding pictorial representation information different for each card representative of each of the plurality of different sets of cards, said pictorial representation information carried by the plurality of cards comprising a plurality of different sets of similar pictorial objects visibly depicted thereon, with the objects of each particular set being substantially identical and being present in the total plurality of cards in total quantities per set ranging from one to fifteen; and interchangeable playing card display region designated at each individual playing region adjacent to each array of playing panel portions and adapted to receive, carry, and display a plurality of said playing cards comprising a small portion of said deck thereof; visibly perceptible alternate-type-of-play display panel means provided with a plurality of visibly perceptible different combination card pictorial representation information matching display sections forming an array thereof, with each display section also bearing and visibly displaying a corresponding matched information reward value ratio marking indicating the reward value ratio corresponding to that particular card pictorial representation information matched combination; each individual playing region also having visibly marked thereon an individual alternate pictorial-representation-information-matched-combination type-of-play selection panel; a plurality of playing pieces; each of said plurality of different combination card pic torial representation information matched display sections visibly bearing and displaying an individual set ranging from zero to three of said pictorial markings.

2. Game apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said visibly perceptible alternate-type-of-play display panel means is visibly perceptibly carried on said playing surface in a conveniently visibly perceptible location.

3. Game apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said visibly perceptible alternate-type-of-play display panel means is visibly perceptibly carried on said playing surface in a conveniently visibly perceptible location relative to the plurality of individual playing regions of all players, including a dealer, so as to be easily viewed by same.

4. Game apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said visibly perceptible alternate-type-of-play display panel means is in plural form comprising a plurality of such display panel means with an individual one of same being positioned adjacent to each individual playing region for each ditferent individual player and being visibly perceptibly carried on the playing surface in a convenient visibly perceptible closely adjacent relationship to the corresponding playing region.

5. Game apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein each of the individual playing panel portions of each of the individual playing regions is of rectangular configuration and is substantially in edge contact with another one of said rectangular panel portions so as to cause said array of panel portions to comprise a substantially rectangular array thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 273-136 G, 136 GA 

